June 5, 1950 The United States Supreme Court in the case of Henderson v. United States abolished segregation in railroad dining cars. In the case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents ruled that a public institution of higher learning could not provide different treatment to a student solely because of his/her race.
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June 2nd in African American History – Cornel Ronald West
June 2, 1953 Cornel Ronald West, educator, author, and civil rights activist, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma but grew up in Sacramento, California. West earned his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization from Harvard College in 1973. He went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in 1975 and […]
June 1st in African American History – The White House Conference on Civil Rights
June 1, 1966 The White House Conference on Civil Rights, titled “To Fulfill These Rights,” was convened. President Lyndon Johnson convened the two day conference to address discrimination against African Americans. The four areas covered were housing, economic security, education, and the administration of justice.
May 30th in African American History – Roslyn McCallister Brock
May 30, 1965 Roslyn McCallister Brock, chairperson of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was born in Fort Pierce, Florida. Brock earned her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Virginia Union University in 1987. She then went on to earn masters degrees in healthcare administration from George Washington University in 1989, in […]
May 18th in African American History – Mary Jane McLeod Bethune
May 18, 1955 Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, educator and civil rights leader, died. Bethune was born July 10, 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina. She attended Scotia Seminary (now Barber-Scotia College) from 1888 to 1894 and then Dwight Moody’s Institute for Home and Foreign Missions (now Moody Bible Institute). In 1904, Bethune rented a small house […]
May 10th in African American History – Helen Claytor
May 10, 2005 Helen J. Claytor, the first black president of the YWCA national board, died. Claytor was born in 1907 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned her bachelor’s degree cum laude in education from the University of Minnesota in 1928. She was also valedictorian of her class and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Despite […]
May 9th in African American History – Lena Mary Calhoun Horne
May 9, 2010 Lena Mary Calhoun Horne, singer, actress, dancer and Civil Rights activist, died. Horne was born June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of 16, she joined the chorus line at the Cotton Club and a few years later joined the Noble Sissle Orchestra. In 1943, she became the first […]